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A World Of Useful Maps Awaits On The Internet

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By SHARON TATE MOODY Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 6, 2008

The measure of how important maps are to historians and genealogists becomes apparent when you explore the many paper-map collections available in libraries and digital collections online.

I doubt anyone has an accurate count of digital maps online, but it is safe to say few of us have time to find them all. The following sites are some of the best for locating maps, and I heartily recommend them for your research.

Ancestry Map Center: Whether you're seeking a topographic, historical or land-ownership map, this is a site worth checking. You need a subscription to view from your home computer. But the site can be accessed for free at public libraries. Be sure to take a flash or thumb drive to download the digital maps for use when you get home.

From home page (www .ancestry.com), select "Search." On the next page, select "Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers." The next page will allow you to enter a location in the "Keywords" search box. I tested this by entering "Royerton, Indiana," home of a client's ancestors.

I was amazed and delighted to find an urban map of Royerton showing the 3.18-acre lot on which my client's ancestor lived and worked. It is a wonderful illustration for the paragraph I had written in his family history: "He moved from White County to Royerton, Delaware County, in 1867, where he purchased a lot in town and built his home, and operated a sawmill."

David Rumsey Historical Map Collection: More than 17,000 digital maps await you at www.davidrumsey.com. This is a complicated Web site to use, so be prepared to spend some time getting acquainted with it.

Digital History: At www.dig

italhistory.uh.edu/maps/maps.cfm#hist_maps, the historical maps date to the 16th century. It is truly an incredible site.

Free Outline Maps: If you need basic outline maps for any state - perhaps to plat how your ancestor traveled through the area - you can get them for free at geog

raphy.about.com/library/blank/blxusx.htm or www.eduplace.com/ss/maps.

Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Collection: This is housed at the University of Georgia, but it's not limited to Georgia. In fact, the collection of more than 800 maps dates to the 16th century and covers historical periods for the United States. Go to www.libs .uga.edu/darchive/hargrett/maps/maps.html.

Historical Map Archive: This University of Alabama site has thousands of maps, most of which do not relate to Alabama. It's worth spending time for a thorough exploration. Go to alabamamaps .ua.edu/historicalmaps/ index.html.

Library of Congress: The library was established in 1800, and founders acknowledged the importance of maps by acquiring more than 1,500 in the initial purchase for the facility. Today, the map division occupies 90,000 square feet and contains millions of maps. The library's Web site offers a variety of digitized maps. Go to lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/gmdhome .html. There is also an online catalog for holdings that are not digitized, but it only lists items obtained since 1969. Go to catalog.loc.gov.

Take your time when visiting the Library of Congress site. Stop and read information about the various collections, including tips for searching cartographic materials ( www.loc.gov/rr/geog map/tips.html). In addition to searching for specific items, utilize the "browse" features - you never know what you'll find when in this mode.

You also will find an "ask the librarian" feature ( www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/ask-geogmap2.html) to assist you.

National Archives: Special List 29 at the National Archives provides historical maps for all 50 states from the 18th century to 1920. These are not digitized but can be ordered by following directions at www.archives.gov/publications/finding-aids/maps/in....

Perry Casteneda Map Collection: Located at the University of Texas at Austin, the online collection contains about 5,000 images. Go to www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/map_collection_guide.html. Look for the list of links on the left side of the page. I recommend checking each one and taking the time to study what you find. Although housed in Texas, this collection covers the entire world.

This week's column concludes a five-part series on maps. The topic could easily be a weekly part of this column - the sources and uses of maps by genealogists simply are endless. Maps add a graphic dimension to the documents and reports about how your ancestors lived. Don't overlook these valuable resources.

If you missed the previous columns on maps, you can read them online. They give a detailed look at various types of maps, including topographical maps and Sanborn maps. Go to www2.tbo.com/ content/list/life/genealogy.

Conference Coming Up

The Federation of Genealogical Societies will hold its national conference Sept. 2 to 6 in Philadelphia. The conference will be a great opportunity for anyone with roots in Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Leading experts will lecture on topics specific to this area. Talks on methodology in genealogical research also are on the schedule. I'll be presenting two lectures and would love to see you there.

To register online, go to www.fgsconference.org/ registration. Check out the conference program at www.fgsconference.org/ program.

Write to Sharon Tate Moody in care of The Tampa Tribune, 200 S. Parker St., Tampa FL 33606; or stmoody0720@mac.com.

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